Free ARC Raiders alternative comes to Xbox Game Pass this week

Undoubtedly, ARC Raiders was one of the biggest success stories last year, and in 2026, this Xbox Game Pass title could be a worthy rival that launches this week.

Developed by Embark Studios, the team that gave us the fantastic free-to-play first-person shooter, The Finals in 2023, launched the extraction shooter, ARC Raiders in 2025, and it went on to become one of the biggest games of that year.

At launch, at least on Steam, ARC Raiders generated nearly 482,000 concurrent players and around eight months later, it can still achieve a steady 50,000. Of course, this only reflects the PC platform, but it wouldn't be surprising if the numbers are pound-for-pound similar on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Perhaps what makes the success of ARC Raiders extra impressive is that its player numbers across the board are organic because, at the time of writing, it’s not available on subscription services like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass.

READ MORE: ARC Raiders and Mass Effect collide in ‘fantastic’ shooter that’s yours to try for free

Could this Xbox Game Pass extraction RPG be a hit in 2026?

Mistfall Hunter, developed by Bellring Games, is the latest multiplayer extraction offering that will try to make a name for itself in the video game industry when it launches this week on Thursday, July 30. Best of all, it launches on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass the very same day.

Perhaps what will help Mistfall Hunter separate itself a little from ARC Raiders is that, rather than being a sci-fi post-apocalyptic setting, is that the extraction RPG from Bellring Games is a dark fantasy, set in a gothic world filled with magic and monsters. After watching one of its gameplay trailers, Mistfall Hunter gives off some Bloodborne vibes.

“Mistfall Hunter is a dark fantasy extraction ARPG. Combine skills, talents, and gear for each class in thrilling combat! Whether you team up or go solo, one thing remains certain—only by fighting your way through can you return with a full haul. Good luck, Gyldhunter,” reads the synopsis of the game.

What is the community saying about Mistall Hunter?

“LET'S GOOOOOO!!!!! Can not wait for this drop! I will be no lifeing this game for at least a week or two!” declared CavemanGamingTV on X.

“I hope this game has a healthy player base, I’ll definitely be trying to make this my main game,” said lmDree.

“Definitely one of my most anticipated launches this month,” added Arcade Galaxy.

There does appear to be a lot of interest in this dark fantasy extraction RPG, but it seems many were hoping that it would be a free-to-play title without having to subscribe to Microsoft’s service. Perhaps the only way that will happen is if Mistfall Hunter flops and it goes F2P in an attempt to up those player numbers.

It will be interesting to see if Mistfall Hunter will achieve some success, especially with its launch on Xbox Game Pass. Mistfall Hunter is also releasing on PlayStation 5, but it’s not coming to PlayStation Plus, well, at least not yet.

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